Balanced pressure pump for liquid petroleum fuel



Se t. 20, 1966 K. K. KENNEPOHL BALANCED PRESSURE PUMP FOR LIQUID PETROLEUM FUEL Filed Feb. 3, 1964 mm mm I NV ENTOR.

KEA/A/ETL/ KIHEM/Emm United States Patent 3,273,584 BALANCED PRESSURE PUMP FOR LIQUID PETROLEUM FUEL Kenneth K. Kennepohl, 46151 N. Sierra Highway, Lancaster, Calif. Filed Feb. 3, 1964, Ser. No. 342,310 2 Claims. (Cl. 137-299) The invention relates to pumps of a special kind capable of passing liquid in one direction to a tank, and venting gas simultaneously from the tank, in a system where, by balancing the pressures, the pump can be operated with a very low expenditure of power.

As liquid etroleum fuel has gained in popularity as a motor fuel, special problems have had to be solved in the dispensing of the fuel. Liquid petroleum systems, because of the nature of the fluid, must be closed systems. The fluid in liquid form evaporates very rapidly into a gaseous form, and in gaseous form is highly flammable. Another factor in the employment of liquid petroleum fuel is the need for storing it under excessively high pressures. As a consequence, ordinary fuel pumps are valueless in the handling of liquid petroleum. Although on some occasions the practice is followed of relying on pressure differentials to transfer liquid petroleum from one tank to another, there are many occasions when a more rapid positive transfer is desirable, which can usually only be accomplished by some power actuated pump. To pump against the high pressure head usually present in a liquid petroleum system would make it necessary to employ relatively high power, and this of course is objectionable because of the initial cost of high powered pumps, and also the cost of continued operation. Small compact pumps having the necessary characteristics for the transfer of small quantities of liquid petroleum fuel have not heretofore been available at a moderate price.

It is therefore among the objects of the invention to provide a new and improved balanced pressure pump which is especially suited .to the transfer of liquid petroleum fuel from one tank to another and which is compact and operates under relatively low power.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved balanced pressume pump which is small and inexpensive and which is constructed of relatively few parts so as to simplify its manufacture, operation and maintenance.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved balanced pressure pump where sliding parts are maintained at a minimum and wherein mutually moving parts like the sliding mounting of a piston in its cylinder are avoided.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved pumping system for the transfer of liquid petroleum fuel from a supply tank to a storage tank wherein the pump temporarily becomes part of the system, together with the interconnecting piping, in such a way that the entire system is balanced, thereby making the quick, easy and inexpensive transfer of liquid petroleum fuel a relatively simple process.

Still further among the objects of the invention is to provide a new and improved pump capable of handling the transfer of liquid petroleum fuel which is so constructed that it can be easily hermetically sealed so as to avoid prospect of leaking of dangerous gas.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter set forth, pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

FIGURE 1 is a schematic view of a liquid petroleum ice transfer system incorporating the pump and appropriate tanks.

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the pump, drawn to a larger scale showing the operating parts.

In the embodiment of the invention chosen for the purpose of illustration, the system is suggested as consisting of a stationary supply tank 10 having a reservoir 11 of liquid petroleum fuel within a supply chamber 12. A vehicle, indicated generally by the reference character 13, has a storage tank 14 mounted thereon in which is a storage chamber 15 within which is a reservoir 16. A pump indicated generally by the reference character 17 is located intermediate the supply tank and the storage tank to which it is connected by sundry piping.

Ordinarily the supply tank 10 stores liquid petroleum fuel under relatively high pressure. The level of the reservoir 11 in the supply chamber 12 will vary considerably depending upon the quantity of liquid petroleum fuel in liquid form which is present in the supply tank. There will invariably be, above the level of the reservoir 11, a space within the supply chamber filled with liquid petroleum fuel in gaseous form, but still under the same pressure as the liquid petroleum fuel in liquid form. Similarly, the storage tank 14 on the vehicle will store liquid petroleum fuel in liquid form comprising the reservoir 16, and this also will vary depending on whether the storage tank is nearly empty or nearly full. In either event, there will be liquid petroleum fuel in gaseous form in the storage chamber 15. When liquid petroleum fuel is being transferred from the supply tank to the storage tank, the transfer must occur in a closed system like that diagramed in FIGURE 1. Valves and connections such as would normally be required for the convenient operation have been omitted in the interest of brevity and clarity. In a system of this kind, the liquid petroleum fuel is drawn from the bottom of the supply tank 10 and passed into the bottom of the storage tank 14. At the same time liquid petroleum fuel ni gaseous form is vented from the top of the storage tank 14 back into the top of the supply tank 10 so that as the space initially occupied by the fuel in liquid form diminishes, the space occupied by liquid petroleum in gaseous form increases. The contrary effect, of course, takes place in the storage tank 14.

The pump 17 which facilitates the transfer of the liquid petroleum fuel, in the embodiment here disclosed as illustrative, takes the form of a housing having an upper section 20 and a lower section 21. For purposes of description, the upper section 20 will be considered as providing a supply chamber 22 and the lower section 21 as providing a discharge chamber 23. An annular sealing rim 24 of the upper section 20 is complementary to an annular sealing rim 25 for the lower section 21, and the rims match each other as shown in FIGURE 2. A flexible diaphragm 26 is held between the sealing rims where a circumferential portion 27 of the diaphragm provides a sealing gasket between the rims held in place by bolts 28. In this manner, the entire interior of the housing, consisting the chambers 22 and 23, are hermetically sealed.

A single fluid line 29 coming from the bottom of the supply tank 10 engages a fitting 30 in the upper section 20 in which is an inflow check valve 31 of substantially conventional construction. A fitting 32 provided with an outflow check valve 33 communicates with a single fluid line 34 which connects to the bottom of the storage tank 14. The fitting 30 may be defined as providing a supply port 35 and the fitting 32 as providing an outflow port 36.

Correspondingly, a fitting 37 provided with an inflow check valve 38 may be described as defining a discharge port 39. A single fluid line 40 connects the fitting 37 with the upper side of the storage tank 14. To complete the system, a fitting 41 mounting an outflow check valve 42 provides an exhaust port 43. A single fluid line 44 :onnects the fitting 41 with the upper side of the supply tank 10.

In this manner, when the supply tank is intercon nected through the pump 17 with the storage tank 14, the liquid reservoir 11 will be interconnected through a continuous set of piping with the liquid reservoir 16 and the tank 14, and at the same time, the gaseous portion of the storage chamber of the storage tank 14 is inter- :onnected in one continuous line through the other part of the pump to the gaseous portion of the supply chamber of the supply tank 10. Consequently, the pressure in the supply chamber 22 of the pump is balanced with respect to the pressure in the discharge chamber 23 of the pump, although these chambers 22 and 23 are separated by the flexible diaphragm 26.

To supply a pumping action there is provided a pump cam 50 on a shaft 51 which passes through an appropriate conventional rotating seal (not shown) in the lower section 21 of the housing to a fractional horse power motor indicated generally by the reference character 52. The motor may be appropriately connected by means not detailed to the pump housing. A wear plate 53 is adapted to be engaged by the pump cam 50 as the cam is rotated by action of the motor so as to flex the diaphragm up and down. Mounting plates 54 and 55 are shown se- :ured on opposite sides of the diaphragm by means of a Jolt 56 and nut 57. A spring 58 surrounds the nut 57 at one end adjacent the diaphragm, and is secured by means of a keeper 59 on the inside of the upper section 20. The spring serves always to maintain the flexible diaphragm in engagement with the pump cam 50.

In operation, when the pump is connected into the system in the manner shown, and with all piping open between the respective tanks, the pressures on opposite sides of the diaphragm 26 will, as previously noted, be equalized, and thereafter pumping action is set in operation by rotation of the pump cam 50. Action of the cam reciprocates the diaphragm so that, for example, when the diaphragm flexes downwardly increasing the volume of the supply chamber 22 of the pump, liquid petroleum fuel in liquid form will be drawn from the suppy tank 10 into :he supply chamber 22 of the pump. During this same stroke, the volume of the discharge chamber 23 of the ump will be diminished, and liquid petroleum fuel in gaseous form will be forced outwardly through the fitting 41 into the upper portion of the supply tank 10. In the next portion of the pump cycle, as the diaphragm is flexed upwardly, liquid thus drawn into the supply chamber 22 will be forced outwardly through the fitting 32 and fluid line 34 into the bottom of the storage tank 14 because of the decrease in volume of the supply chamber 22. At the same time, the volume of the discharge :hamber 23 will be increased causing liquid petroleum fuel in gaseous form from the supply tank 14, which is being displaced by liquid petroleum fuel in liquid form in that tank, to pass from the upper part of the supply tank 14 to the discharge chamber 23. Thereafter, on the next succeeding portion of the pump cycle, as the diaphragm is again flexed downwardly, the gaseous liquid petroleum fuel will be passed from the discharge chamber 23 into the upper portion of the storage tank 10 while simultaneously, and'as previously described, an additional charge of liquid petroleum fuel in liquid form will be passed from the supply tank to the supply chamber 22 of the pump. Because of the balanced pressures indicated in the opposite pump chambers, a motor 52 of relatively low power is all that is needed to cause the diaphragm to rapidly flex in pumping action, thereby to draw a sufficient amount of liquid petroleum fuel from the supply tank 10 to the storage tank 14 on an appropriate vehicle. Even though the pump may be permitted to run on after the storage tank 14 is filled, no damage will result because of the balanced pressure of the system.

Moreover, because the pump system is a closed system, no dangerous gas or liquid can be spilled.

From the foregoing description, it will be understood that, because of taking advantage of balanced pressures at all times the pump housing can be small, compact and light in section, as well as one needing only a low powered motor. Consequently the unit can be easily placed Wherever convenience suggests, and can, when needed, be transported at will.

While the invention has herein been shown and described in What is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new in support of Letters Patent is:

1. A liquid petroleum pump system comprising a supply tank having an upper level connection and a lower level connection, a consumer storage tank having an upper level connection and a lower level connection, a pump device intermediate said tanks and fuel conections from said supply tank through the pump device to the storage tank and from said storage tank through the pump device to the supply tank, said pump device comprising opposite hollow sections, a reciprocating element between said sections, one of said sections having a supply chamber on one side of said reciprocating element, and the other of said sections having a discharge chamber on the other side of said reciprocating element, a supply port to said supply chamber having an inflow check valve therein, an outflow port from said supply chamber having an outflow check valve therein, a discharge port to said discharge chamber having an inflow check valve therein, an exhaust port from said discharge chamber having an outflow check valve therein, a pump shaft member extending into said discharge chamber in reciprocating driving relationship with said reciprocating element, said fuel connections from the supply tank to the storage tank comprising a line from the lower level connection of the supply tank to the supply port of the supply chamber and a line from the outflow port of the supply chamber to the lower level connection of the storage tank, said fuel connections from the storage tank to the supply tank comprising a line from the upper level connection of the storage tank to the discharge port of exhaust chamber and a line from the exhaust port of the discharge chamber to the upper level connection of the supply tank, whereby to equalize pressures on opposite sides of the reciprocating element while said reciprocating element is reciprocated by said pump shaft during a pumping cycle.

2. A liquid petroleum pump system comprising a supply tank having an upper level connection and a lower level connection, a consumer storage tank having an upper level connection and a lower level connection, a pump device intermediate said tanks and fuel connections from said supply tank through the pump device to the storage tank and from said storage tank through the pump device to the supply tank, said pump device comprising opposite hollow sections, each section having a circumferential sealing rim complementary to the sealing rim of the opposite section, a flexible diaphragm between said sections, sealing means between said rims and the diaphragm and releasable fastening means holding said rims and said sealing means in sealed relationship, one of said sections having a supply chamber on one side of said diaphragm and the other of said sections having a discharge chamber on the other side of said diaphragm, a supply port to said supply chamber having an inflow check valve therein, an outflow port from said supply chamber having an outflow check valve therein, a discharge port to said discharge chamber having an inflow check valve therein, an exhaust port from said discharge chamber having an outflow check valve therein, a rotary pump shaft extending into said discharge chamber and a cam on said pump shaft in intermittently engageable relationship with said diaphragm, said fuel connections from the supply tank to the storage tank comprising a single line from the lower level connection of the supply tank to the supply port of the supply chamber and a single line from the outflow port of the supply chamber to the lower level connection of the storage tank, said fuel connections from the storage tank to the supply tank comprising a single line from the upper level connection of the storage tank to the discharge port of exhaust chamber and a single line from the exhaust port of the discharge chamber to the upper level connection of the supply tank, whereby to equalize pressures on opposite sides of the diaphragm while the diaphragm is reciprocated by said cam during a pumping cycle.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,021,394 11/1935 Wade 137566 2,056,828 10/ 1936 Clawson 141-126 2,604,854 7/1952 Taylor 10315C 1/1962 Brandt 14159 FOREIGN PATENTS 44,169 10/1934 France.

M. CARY NELSON, Primary Examiner.

W. CLINE, Examiner. 

1. A LIQUID PETROLEUM PUMP SYSTEM COMPRISING A SUPPLY TANK HAVING AN UPPER LEVEL CONNECTION AND A LOWER LEVEL CONNECTION, A CONSUMER STORAGE TANK HAVING AN UPPER LEVEL CONNECTION AND A LOWER LEVEL CONNECTION, A PUMP DEVICE INTERMEDIATE SAID TANKS AND FUEL CONECTIONS FROM SAID SUPPLY TANK THROUGH THE PUMP DEVICE TO THE STORAGE TANK ANF FROM SAID STORAGE TANK THROUGH THE PUMP DEVICE TO THE SUPPLY TANK, SAID PUMP DEVICE COMPRISING OPPOSITE HOLLOW SECTIONS, A RECIPROCATING ELEMENT BETWEEN SAID SECTIONS, ONE OF SAID SECTIONS HAVING A SUPPLY CHAMBER ON ONE SIDE OF SAID RECIPROCATING ELEMENT, AND THE OTHER OF SAID SECTIONS HAVING A DISCHARGE CHAMBER ON THE OTHER SIDE OF SAID RECIPROCATING ELEMENT, A SUPPLY PORT TO SAID SUPPLY CHAMBER HAVING AN INFLOW CHECK VALVE THEREIN, AN OUTFLOW PORT FROM SAID SUPPLY CHAMBER HAVING AN OUTFLOW CHECK VALVE THEREIN, A DISCHARGE PORT TO SAID DISCHARGE CHAMBER HAVING AN INFLOW CHECK VALVE THEREIN, AN EXHAUST PORT FROM SAID DISCHARGE CHAMBER HAVING AN OUTFLOW CHECK VALVE THEREIN, A PUMP SHAFT MEMBER EXTENDING INTO SAID DISCHARGE CHAMBER IN RECIPROCATING DRIVING RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID RECIPROCATING ELEMENT, SAID FUEL CONNECTIONS FROM THE SUPPLY TANK TO THE STORAGE TANK COMPRISING A LINE FROM THE LOWER LEVEL CONNECTION OF THE SUPPLY TANK TO THE SUPPLY PORT OF THE SUPPLY CHAMBER AND A LINE FROM THE OUTFLOW PORT OF THE SUPPLY CHAMBER TO THE LOWER LEVEL CONNECTION OF THE STORAGE TANK, SAID FUEL CONNECTIONS FROM THE STORAGE TANK TO THE SUPPLY TANK COMPRISING A LINE FROM THE UPPER LEVEL CONNECTION OF THE STORAGE TANK TO THE DISCHARGE PORT OF EXHAUST CHAMBER AND A LINE FROM THE EXHAUST PORT OF THE DISCHARGE CHAMBER TO THE UPPER LEVEL CONNECTION OF THE SUPPLY TANK, WHEREBY TO EQUALIZE PRESSURES ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE RECIPROCATING ELEMENT WHILE SAID RECIPROCATING ELEMENT IS RECIPROCATED BY SAID PUMP SHAFT DURING A PUMPING CYCLE. 